The abrupt end of two school papers in Lanao Chinese High School in the 60s left the LCHS campus with a lingering void that was difficult tofill. These were the Scholastic Gazette (1965) and the Campus Keeper (1968). Given the critical role a student paper had to play and the school's ambivalent attitude toward it, they ended without a successor to take the cudgel from where they left off.
Birth of the Spectrum. The hiatus eventually gave rise to the idea of a joint publication for both LCHS students and alumni. In the summer of 1968, Charles O. Sy (Batch '67) proposed the concept to two other alumni with extensive experiences in previous LCHS publications, Ernesto Yu (Batch '65) and Henry Yu (Batch '69). The Yus both seconded the motion right off the bat. And the three of them spent the summer months laying the groundwork for a newsletter that would be more sustainable as it would cater to both alumni and students of LCHS.
On August 1, 1968, the Spectrum Bulletin was born. Forming the staff were Charles O. Sy, as editor; Ernesto Yu, executive editor; Henry Yu, associate editor; Teresita Racines, editorial assistant; Peter Dy, editorial consultant; Miguel Ong, correspondent; Rudy Co, Antonio Leo Te and Castor Lim, reporters.
The Spectrum thus became the first LCHS newsletter to be printed by letterpress and with Cebu City as its base. Funding came from voluntary contribution of alumni and students. Although the donors gave their contributions freely, the staff had to go around soliciting funds every month in order to publish each issue.
Overwhelming Support. Its maiden issue was well received and more support flowed in from alumni, students and faculty of LCHS. The school principal himself, Tan Lian Hun, also contributed a substantial sum on behalf of LCHS. Other major sponsors of the newsletter were the LCHS Alumni Association, then headed by Carlos Dy; Krisland Commercial represented by Henry Siao; and the Millionaires' Club composed of Greg Dy, Henry Dy, Walter Dy, Luis Kho, Arturo Samson, Peping de los Santos, Alexander So, Cresencio Tan, Bonifacio Te and Manuel Te.
Soon the paper grew from 4 to 12 pages. And a new staff was formed with Charles Sy, as editor; Victor Chiu, managing editor; Ernesto Yu and Henry Yu, associate editors; Leonardo Tan and Miguel Ong, correspondents; Yolando Siao, Emma Yap, and Peter Dy, staff writers; and Artemio Lagrosas, staff artist. The name was rechristened The LCHS Spectrum. Well-staffed and well-funded, the Spectrum expanded into a network, with circulation reaching key cities where resident alumni were aplenty. Covering the beats in their respective bases were Yolando Siao and Miguel Ong, for Iligan; Leonardo Tan, Manila; Ernesto Yu, Henry Yu, and Emma Yap, Dumaguete; and Peter Dy, Cebu.
The Spectrum covered a broad range of participants among LCHS students and alumni. It carried news of the alma mater and alumni, features, columns, poems, and crossword puzzles. It also ran a list of contributors and sponsors for each issue. As varied as its articles were its commentaries on various events of the times. Most articles dealt with themes of general human interests. But a few were critical in their perceptions of certain prevailing conditions and states of affairs involving the LCHS community.
The Boycott. In its January 1969 issue, the Spectrum featured a full-length interview with Roderick Ngo, then LCHS Student Council president. The interview included a portion where the student leader, in answer to a question by Charles Sy, commented that some LCHS Chinese faculty members seemed to lack teaching proficiency. The remark did not sit well with the LCHS administration and faculty, who subsequently manifested their displeasure by withdrawing financial support to the Spectrum.
Despite the boycott, however, the Spectrum remained unfazed. It persisted and managed on its own to come out with two more issues making a total of five issues published during its existence. It finally ceased publication with its last issue in November 1969 and left the LCHS community without a medium to chronicle its passage to history for many years thereafter.
Rebirth. In 1997, almost 30 years after the Spectrum ceased publication, several alumni found their paths converging anew with the new inter-connectivity of the Internet. Among the group were Charles O. Sy, Peter Dy, Alex Rodriguez, Leonardo Tan, Rene Tio, Teresita Racines, Roderick Ngo, and Mike Lee. As their interaction through e-mails became more frequent, a consensus was reached among the group to make the exchange of information a regular endeavor. From this sprang the idea of reviving the defunct Spectrum. With the speed and facility of the Internet, the concept of the Spectrum as an Internet newsletter soon took shape. And on April 15, 1997, the Spectrum was reborn.
The Editors. The current editor is Charles O. Sy, with Roger Suminguit as associate editor. Early on, Charles O. Sy first served as editor from 1997 to 2001, followed by Henry L. Yu, from April 1, 2001 to Mar. 31, 2002; and Victor Chiu, April 1, 2002 to Sept. 30, 2004; and Roger Suminguit, Oct. 1, 2004 to Dec. 31, 2007.
